U.S. patent number 7,150,520 [Application Number 10/400,107] was granted by the patent office on 2006-12-19 for printing apparatus and ink cartridge therefor.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Seiko Epson Corporation. Invention is credited to Kazumasa Harada, Kazuhiro Hashii, Yasuto Sakai, Satoshi Shinada, Atsuhiko Takeuchi, Tomio Yokoyama.
United States Patent |
7,150,520 |
Shinada , et al. |
December 19, 2006 |
Printing apparatus and ink cartridge therefor
Abstract
In order to be enable a coupling terminal member of the ink
cartridge and a coupling terminal of the printing apparatus to be
in certain and increase a degree of freedom on installation
position of a coupling terminal member of an ink cartridge, an ink
cartridge installed in a printing apparatus for supplying the
printing apparatus with ink includes an ink cartridge body for
containing ink therein, an ink supply section on which an ink
supply opening placed on or near the first sidewall of the ink
cartridge body is formed, a memory for storing information on ink
contained in the ink cartridge body, a contact terminal member
placed on the second sidewall of the ink cartridge body and coupled
to the memory and a positioning member, which protrudes from the
second sidewall of the ink cartridge body, for positioning the ink
cartridge properly with respect to the printing apparatus when the
ink cartridge is installed in the printing apparatus.
Inventors: |
Shinada; Satoshi (Nagano-ken,
JP), Sakai; Yasuto (Nagano-ken, JP),
Yokoyama; Tomio (Nagano-ken, JP), Hashii;
Kazuhiro (Nagano-ken, JP), Takeuchi; Atsuhiko
(Nagano-ken, JP), Harada; Kazumasa (Nagano-ken,
JP) |
Assignee: |
Seiko Epson Corporation (Tokyo,
JP)
|
Family
ID: |
27348115 |
Appl.
No.: |
10/400,107 |
Filed: |
March 26, 2003 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20030214559 A1 |
Nov 20, 2003 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Mar 29, 2002 [JP] |
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2002-093838 |
Apr 1, 2002 [JP] |
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2002-099211 |
Mar 20, 2003 [JP] |
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2003-077849 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
347/86;
347/49 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B41J
2/17546 (20130101); B41J 2/17526 (20130101); B41J
2/175 (20130101); B41J 2/1752 (20130101); B41J
2/17513 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B41J
2/175 (20060101); B41J 2/14 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;347/7,19,49,85,86,87 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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0 657 292 |
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Jun 1995 |
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EP |
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0 997 297 |
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May 2000 |
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EP |
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2316657 |
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Mar 1998 |
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GB |
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2 343 145 |
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May 2000 |
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GB |
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2354201 |
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Mar 2001 |
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GB |
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2375080 |
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Nov 2002 |
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GB |
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61-155129 |
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Sep 1986 |
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JP |
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H6-155758 |
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Jun 1994 |
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JP |
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07-148936 |
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Jun 1995 |
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JP |
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2000-033708 |
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Feb 2000 |
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JP |
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2001-113722 |
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Apr 2001 |
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JP |
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2001-212976 |
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Aug 2001 |
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JP |
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2002-059566 |
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Feb 2002 |
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JP |
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2 135 367 |
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Aug 1999 |
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RU |
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WO-98/31548 |
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Jul 1998 |
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WO |
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WO-99-59823 |
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Nov 1999 |
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WO |
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WO 01/54910 |
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Aug 2001 |
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WO |
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Other References
Office Action from Taiwanese Patent Appln. 092016829 (Sep. 23,
2004), with English translation. cited by other .
Examination Report for German Patent Appln. 103 14 194.4-27 (dated
Aug. 9, 2004), with English translation. cited by other .
European Search Report (Appln. No. 03 00 6870.4) dated Oct. 15,
2003. cited by other .
Notification of Reason(s) for Refusal in Japanese Patent Appln. No.
2003-077849 (Dec. 21, 2004) (w/ Engl. transln.). cited by other
.
Decision to Grant in Russian Appln. No. 2003108820/12 (May 31,
2005). cited by other .
Official Notification from Russian Patent Office in appln.
2003108820/12 (Aug. 18, 2005) and letter from Gorodissky &
Partners with partial translation of same. cited by other .
Combined Search and Examination Report, British Patent Appln. No.
GB05009065.9 (Jul. 12, 2005). cited by other.
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Primary Examiner: Vo; Anh T. N.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Stroock & Stroock & Lavan
LLP
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An ink cartridge detachably mountable on a printing apparatus
having a print head and an ink supply needle communicating with the
print head, comprising: an ink cartridge body for containing ink
therein and having a bottom wall, a rear wall adjacent to said
bottom wall and a front wall disposed opposite to said rear wall;
an ink supply section having an ink supply opening formed at a
position near said rear wall on said bottom wall of said ink
cartridge body for allowing the ink supply needle to be inserted; a
memory comprising a contact terminal member disposed on said ink
cartridge body; and a protrusion engageable with a groove formed in
the printing apparatus, wherein said contact terminal member and
said protrusion are located on said front wall of said ink
cartridge body.
2. The ink cartridge as in claim 1, wherein said protrusion
comprises a positioning rib extending toward the bottom wall of
said body.
3. The ink cartridge as in claim 2, further comprising a projecting
part provided above said contact terminal member of said memory and
said positioning rib.
4. The ink cartridge as in claim 3, wherein said projecting part
comprises a surface which protrudes above and extends beyond said
positioning rib, at least a portion of said surface lying in a
plane which is substantially parallel to said front wall.
5. The ink cartridge as in claim 2, wherein said positioning rib is
located outside of an area on the front wall that is defined by
extending lines along said first and second side edges of said
contact terminal member.
6. The ink cartridge as in claim 2, further comprising: an inverse
mounting preventing rib formed on a first side wall facing a second
side wall, both said first and said second side walls intersecting
said bottom and said front walls, said second side wall being
located next to another ink cartridge when at least two said ink
cartridges are installed in the printing apparatus, wherein said
contact terminal member is located near said second side wall.
7. The ink cartridge as in claim 1, wherein said contact terminal
member is positioned to be close to a first side wall that is
located next to another ink cartridge when at least two said ink
cartridges are installed in the printing apparatus.
8. The ink cartridge as in claim 7, further comprising an inverse
mounting preventing rib that engages with the carriage of the
printing apparatus when said ink cartridge is installed in a proper
orientation on the printing apparatus.
9. The ink cartridge as in claim 8, wherein said positioning member
lies in said front wall, and said inverse mounting preventing rib
lies in a second side wall that is perpendicular to the front
wall.
10. The ink cartridge as in claim 1, further comprising an inverse
mounting preventing rib that engages with the carriage of the
printing apparatus when the ink cartridge is installed in a proper
orientation on the printing apparatus.
11. The ink cartridge as in claim 10, wherein said contact terminal
member is located near a first side wall that is perpendicular to
said front wall, and said inverse mounting preventing rib lies on a
second side wall that is perpendicular to said front wall and
opposing to said first side wall.
12. The ink cartridge as in claim 1, wherein said protrusion
extends in a direction which is perpendicular to a plane in which
said contact terminal member lies.
13. The ink cartridge as in claim 1, wherein a centerline of said
contact terminal member extends in a direction parallel to a center
axis of said ink supply opening and is separated from the center
axis of said ink supply opening by a predetermined distance.
14. A printing apparatus, comprising: a head-mount unit on which a
print head is mounted; a carriage having a cartridge mounting
section in which an ink cartridge according to claim 1 and having
an ink can be installed; and a board on which a device for
contacting said contact terminal member of the ink cartridge and
both receiving and providing information about the ink of the ink
cartridge is installed, wherein said board is placed in said
cartridge mounting section.
15. A printing apparatus, comprising: a carriage into which an ink
cartridge according to claim 1 can be installed, and from which the
ink cartridge can be uninstalled, and on which a print head is
mounted; and a board on which a device for both receiving and
providing information about the ink of said ink cartridge is
installed, wherein said board is placed on an inside of a front
wall of said carriage.
16. The ink cartridge as in claim 1, wherein said contact terminal
member comprises a plurality of contact terminals.
17. An ink cartridge detachably mountable on a printing apparatus
having a print head and an ink supply needle communicating with the
print head, comprising: an ink cartridge body for containing a
plurality of different inks therein and having a bottom wall, a
rear external wall adjacent to said bottom wall, a front external
wall opposite to said rear external wall, at least one internal
partitioning wall within said ink cartridge body and a plurality of
ink chambers defined in part by said partitioning wall; an ink
supply section having a plurality of ink supply openings located by
said bottom wall of said ink cartridge body, said ink supply
openings corresponding to respective said ink chambers; and a
memory comprising a contact terminal member disposed on said front
external wall at a position corresponding to at least one said
partitioning wall; wherein said partitioning wall lies in a plane,
and said plane passes through said contact terminal member.
18. The ink cartridge as in claim 17, wherein said ink supply
openings are located near said rear external wall of said ink
cartridge body on said bottom wall.
19. The ink cartridge as in claim 18, wherein when said ink
cartridge and an other said ink cartridge are installed on the
printing apparatus, said partitioning wall corresponding to said
contact terminal member is closer to a first side wall positioned
next to the other ink cartridge.
20. The ink cartridge as in claim 19, further comprising an inverse
mounting preventing rib that engages with the carriage of the
printing apparatus when said ink cartridge is installed in a proper
orientation on the printing apparatus.
21. The ink cartridge as in claim 20, wherein the contact terminal
member lies in said front wall and the inverse mounting preventing
rib lies in a second side wall that is perpendicular to the front
wall.
22. The ink cartridge as in claim 17, further comprising an inverse
mounting preventing rib that engages with the carriage of the
printing apparatus when said ink cartridge is installed in a proper
orientation on the printing apparatus.
23. The ink cartridge as in claim 22, wherein, when two said ink
cartridges are installed in a proper orientation, said inverse
mounting preventing ribs of both said ink cartridges lie in a same
plane.
24. The ink cartridge as in claim 17, wherein said contact terminal
member is placed on said front wall at a position near a first side
wall of said ink cartridge body, which intersects said bottom wall
and said front wall, and the ink cartridge further comprising: an
inverse mounting preventing rib formed on a second side wall of
said ink cartridge body opposite to said first side wall, wherein
said inverse mounting preventing rib engaging with the carriage of
the printing apparatus when said ink cartridge is installed in a
proper orientation on the printing apparatus.
25. The ink cartridge as in claim 17, wherein said contact terminal
member comprises a plurality of contact terminals.
26. The ink cartridge as in claim 17, further comprising a
protrusion that is positioned on said front external wall at a
place corresponding to at least said partitioning wall.
27. An ink cartridge according to claim 17, wherein the ink
cartridge body has a first side wall extending in a direction to
intersect said front and said rear external walls, said
partitioning wall intersects said front external walls, and the
contact terminal is disposed at a place closer to the first said
wall.
28. An ink cartridge, comprising: an ink cartridge body having an
interior defining at least one ink chamber therein, the ink
cartridge body having a bottom wall, a first side wall lying in a
first plane, a second side wall lying in a second plane that is
generally parallel to the first plane, and a front surface
extending between the first and the second planes, the front
surface having a lower portion and an overhang portion extending
outward away from the interior and beyond the lower portion, the
overhang portion having an underside; an ink supply section having
an ink supply opening formed in said bottom wall; a memory mounted
on the lower portion of the front surface at a position closer to
the first side wall than the second side wall and lying in a third
plane generally perpendicular to the first and the second planes,
the memory storing information about ink in said ink cartridge
body; and a protrusion located on the lower portion of the front
surface at a position between the memory and the second side wall
and extending outward and away from the lower portion beyond the
third plane in which the memory lies and downward and away from the
underside of the overhang portion.
29. An ink cartridge according to claim 28, wherein the front
surface includes a plurality of flat portions.
30. An ink cartridge according to claim 28, wherein the front
surface includes a plurality of ribs and the flat portions are
located between the ribs.
31. An ink cartridge according to claim 28, wherein the lower
portion and the overhang portion of the front surface are generally
perpendicular to the first and the second planes.
32. An ink cartridge according to claim 28, further comprising a
positioning rib extending outward from the second side wall.
33. An ink cartridge according to claim 32, wherein the positioning
rib and the protrusion lie in perpendicular planes.
34. An ink cartridge according to claim 33, wherein the positioning
rib lies in a plane parallel to the third plane.
35. An ink cartridge according to claim 28, wherein the front
surface is flat.
36. An ink cartridge according to claim 28, wherein the front
surface includes a first portion and a second portion, the first
portion being parallel to the second portion.
37. The ink cartridge as in claim 28, wherein said protrusion
extends beyond said third plane and within the overhang portion
when viewed from said first side wall.
38. The ink cartridge as in claim 28, wherein the ink cartridge is
arranged adjacent to a second ink cartridge which comprises a
second ink cartridge body having another first side wall lying in a
first plane; an another second side wall lying in a second plane
that is generally parallel to the another first plane; an another
front surface extending between the first and second planes; and a
second memory mounted on the another front surface at a position
closer to the another first side wall than the another second side
wall, wherein said first side wall of the ink cartridge and said
another first side wall of the second ink cartridge face together
and said front surface of the ink cartridge and said another front
surface lie in a substantially same plane.
39. An ink cartridge, comprising: an ink cartridge body having an
interior defining at least one ink chamber therein, the ink
cartridge body having a bottom wall, a first side wall lying in a
first plane, a second side wall lying in a second plane that is
generally parallel to the first plane, and a front surface
extending between the first and the second planes, the front
surface having a lower portion and an overhang portion extending
outward away from the interior and beyond the lower portion, the
overhang portion having an underside; an ink supply section having
an ink supply opening formed in said bottom wall; a memory mounted
on the lower portion of the front surface at a position closer to
the first side wall than the second side wall and lying in a third
plane generally perpendicular to the first and the second planes,
the memory storing information about ink in said ink cartridge
body; and a protrusion located on the lower portion of the front
surface at a position between the memory and the second side wall,
the protrusion having a flat side lying in a fourth plane that is
perpendicular to the third plane and disposed between the first and
the second planes, the flat side extending outward and away from
the lower portion and beyond the third plane in which the memory
lies and downward and away from the underside of the overhang
portion.
40. An ink cartridge according to claim 39, wherein the front
surface includes a plurality of flat portions.
41. An ink cartridge according to claim 39, wherein the front
surface includes a plurality of ribs and the flat portions are
located between the ribs.
42. An ink cartridge according to claim 39, wherein the lower
portion and the overhang portion of the front surface are generally
perpendicular to the first and the second planes.
43. An ink cartridge according to claim 39, further comprising a
positioning rib extending outward from the second side wall.
44. An ink cartridge according to claim 43, wherein the positioning
rib and the flat side lie in perpendicular planes.
45. An ink cartridge according to claim 44, wherein the positioning
rib lies in a plane parallel to the third plane.
46. The ink cartridge as in claim 39, wherein a length by which
said protrusion extends outward away from the lower part and a
length by which said protrusion extends downward and away from the
underside of the overhang portion is substantially the same.
47. The ink cartridge as claimed in claim 39, wherein said length
by which said protrusion extends outward away from the lower part
is shorter than a length of the overhang portion which extends in a
direction perpendicular to the third plane, when viewed from the
first side wall.
48. An ink cartridge pair comprising: a first ink cartridge; and a
second ink cartridge, each said ink cartridge including; an ink
cartridge body having an interior defining at least one ink chamber
therein, the ink cartridge body having a bottom wall, a first side
wall lying in a first plane, a second side wall lying in a second
plane that is generally parallel to the first plane, and a front
surface extending between the first and the second planes, the
front surface having a lower portion and an overhang portion
extending outward away from the interior and beyond the lower
portion, the overhang portion having an underside; an ink supply
section having an ink supply opening formed in said bottom wall; a
memory mounted on the lower portion of the front surface at a
position closer to the first side wall than the second side wall
and lying in a third plane generally perpendicular to the first and
the second planes, the memory storing information about ink in said
ink cartridge body; and a protrusion located on the lower portion
of the front surface at a position between the memory and the
second side wall and extending outward and away from the lower
portion beyond the third plane in which the memory lies and
downward and away from the underside of the overhang portion,
wherein, looking toward the front surfaces of the first and the
second ink cartridges, the first side wall of the first ink
cartridge is located on the left side of the first ink cartridge
and the first side wall of the second ink cartridge is located on
the right side of the second ink cartridge.
49. An ink cartridge pair according to claim 48, wherein one of the
first and second ink cartridges has three ink chambers formed
therein.
50. An ink cartridge pair comprising: a first ink cartridge; and a
second ink cartridge, each said ink cartridge including; an ink
cartridge body having an interior defining at least one ink chamber
therein, the ink cartridge body having a bottom wall, a first side
wall lying in a first plane, a second side wall lying in a second
plane that is generally parallel to the first plane, and a front
surface extending between the first and the second planes, the
front surface having a lower portion and an overhang portion
extending outward away from the interior and beyond the lower
portion, the overhang portion having an underside; an ink supply
section having an ink supply opening formed in said bottom wall; a
memory mounted on the lower portion of the front surface at a
position closer to the first side wall than the second side wall
and lying in a third plane generally perpendicular to the first and
the second planes, the memory storing information about ink in said
ink cartridge body; and a protrusion located on the lower portion
of the front surface at a position between the memory and the
second side wall, the protrusion having a flat side lying in a
fourth plane that is perpendicular to the third plane and disposed
between the first and the second planes, the flat side extending
outward and away from the lower portion and beyond the third plane
in which the memory lies and downward and away from the underside
of the overhang portion, wherein, looking toward the front surfaces
of the first and the second ink cartridges, the first side wall of
the first ink cartridge is located on the left side of the first
ink cartridge and the first side wall of the second ink cartridge
is located on the right side of the second ink cartridge.
51. An ink cartridge pair according to claim 50, wherein one of the
first and second ink cartridges has three ink chambers formed
therein.
52. An ink cartridge detachably mountable on a printing apparatus
having a print head and an ink supply needle communicating with the
print head, comprising: an ink cartridge body for containing ink
therein and having a bottom wall, a rear wall adjacent to said
bottom wall and a front wall disposed opposite to said rear wall, a
first side wall extending substantially perpendicular to said rear
and front walls, and a second side wall disposed opposite to said
first side wall; an ink supply section having an ink supply opening
formed at a position near said rear wall on said bottom wall of
said ink cartridge body for allowing the ink supply needle to be
inserted; a memory comprising a contact terminal member disposed on
said ink cartridge body, said contact terminal member being located
on said front wall at a position closer to said first side wall
than said second side wall; and a protrusion formed on said front
wall of said ink cartridge body at a position closer to said second
side wall than said first side wall, said protrusion being
engageable with a part of the printing apparatus.
Description
This patent application claims priority from Japanese patent
applications No. 2002-093838 filed on Mar. 29, 2002, No.
2002-099211 filed on Apr. 1, 2002 and No. 2003-077849 filed on Mar.
20, 2003, the contents of which are incorporated herein by
reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus including an
ink cartridge for supplying the printing apparatus with ink, a
carriage on and from which the ink cartridge is installed and
detached and a print head mounted on the carriage. More
particularly, the present invention relates to an ink cartridge
precisely installed on a printing apparatus for supplying the
printing apparatus with ink.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an ink-jet printer, one of the printing apparatus,
prints texts or images by ejecting ink droplets onto print media by
a print head mounted on a carriage moving back and forth in
direction of a horizontal scanning, while a paper feeder supplies
the print media, such as papers, set in a paper feeding tray one at
a time, and a paper carriage mechanism intermittently sends the
print media in direction of a vertical scanning a predetermined
quantity at a time. Usually, an ink cartridge containing black ink
and an ink cartridge containing ink of various colors, such as
yellow, cyan and magenta etc. are separately installed in a
carriage of a full-colored ink-jet printer.
The carriage is made up to be divided into a head-mounted unit, on
which the print head is mounted, and a cartridge mounting section,
in which the ink cartridge is installed, in order to enhance
maintenance efficiency of the print head. Further, a memory for
storing information about a production date, a product number, the
quantity of ink remained etc. is installed on the ink cartridge and
a circuit board, which is coupled to the memory with a connecter
and coupled to the print head, is placed in the head-mounted unit
of the carriage. The circuit board is designed to transmit and
receive the information about ink etc. to and from the printing
apparatus. As an example of the memory for storing the information,
there is a contact type memory unit including a coupling terminal
member, which includes a coupling terminal exposed to the outside
and a memory unit, which is electrically coupled to the coupling
terminal. The coupling terminal is electrically coupled to a
coupling terminal of the printing apparatus. The memory unit stores
the information about ink etc.
The above usual inkjet printer has a problem that it may be damaged
in case of maintenance handling of the print head, because the
circuit board is placed in the head-mounted unit of the
carriage.
In addition, transmitting and receiving the information cannot be
properly done, unless the coupling terminal member of the memory
unit of the ink cartridge certainly contacts to the coupling
terminal of the print head. Particularly, when a plurality of the
coupling terminal with a small coupling terminal area is closely
arranged, the coupling terminal member needs to be very exactly
coupled to the coupling terminal of the printing apparatus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a
printing apparatus for protecting a board in which a device for
reading and writing information about ink of an ink cartridge is
installed during maintenance work on a print head, which is capable
of overcoming the above drawbacks accompanying the conventional
art.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an ink
cartridge enabling a coupling terminal member of a memory of the
ink cartridge and a coupling terminal of the printing apparatus to
be in certain contact with each other, which is capable of
overcoming the above drawbacks accompanying the conventional
art.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an ink
cartridge having a degree of freedom on installation position of a
coupling terminal member of an ink cartridge and a coupling
terminal of a printing apparatus, which is capable of overcoming
the above drawbacks accompanying the conventional art.
The above and other objects can be achieved by combinations
described in the independent claims. The dependent claims define
further advantageous and exemplary combinations of the present
invention.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, an ink
cartridge installed in a printing apparatus for supplying the
printing apparatus with ink includes an ink cartridge body for
containing ink therein and including a first and a second
sidewalls, the second sidewalls opposite to the first sidewall, an
ink supply section on which an ink supply opening placed on or near
the first sidewall of the ink cartridge body is formed, a memory
for storing information on ink contained in the ink cartridge body,
a contact terminal member placed on the second sidewall of the ink
cartridge body and coupled to the memory and a positioning member,
which protrudes from the second sidewall of the ink cartridge body,
for deciding position of the ink cartridge with respect to the
printing apparatus when the ink cartridge is installed in the
printing apparatus.
With respect to the ink cartridge, the ink supply opening may be
provided to be close to the first sidewall of the ink cartridge
body on a bottom crossing the first and second sidewalls.
With respect to the ink cartridge, the positioning member may
include a positioning rib protruding in a direction toward the
bottom of the cartridge body.
The ink cartridge may further include a projecting part provided
over the contact terminal member of the memory and the positioning
rib.
With respect to the ink cartridge, the projecting part may include
a surface which protrudes over the positioning rib and
substantially parallel to the second sidewall.
With respect to the ink cartridge, the positioning rib may be
provided to a place outside of an area defined by vertically
extending lines along a left and right side edges of the contact
terminal member.
With respect to the ink cartridge, the contact terminal member is
placed to be close to a sidewall positioned next to another ink
cartridge when at least two ink cartridges are installed in the
printing apparatus.
The ink cartridge may further include an inverse mounting
preventing rib for being engaged with the carriage of the printing
apparatus when the ink cartridge is installed in a proper
orientation on the printing apparatus.
The ink cartridge may further include an inverse mounting
preventing rib which is engaged with the printing apparatus when
the ink cartridge is installed in a proper orientation on the
printing apparatus.
The ink cartridge may further include an inverse mounting
preventing rib formed on a first side wall facing a second side
wall, both said first and said second side walls intersecting the
bottom and the front walls, said second side wall being located
next to another ink cartridge when at least two ink cartridges are
installed in the printing apparatus, whereas the contact terminal
member is located near the second side wall.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, an ink
cartridge installed in a printing apparatus for supplying the
printing apparatus with ink includes an ink cartridge body for
containing different ink including a first sidewall, a second
sidewall opposite to the first sidewall, partitioning walls placed
in the ink cartridge body and a plurality of ink chamber separated
by the partitioning walls, an ink supply section on which ink
supply openings placed on or near the first sidewall of the ink
cartridge body corresponding to the a plurality of ink chamber are
formed, an memory for storing information on ink contained in the
ink cartridge body and a contact terminal member coupled to the
memory and placed to corresponds to the partitioning walls on the
second wall of the ink cartridge body.
With respect to the ink cartridge, the ink supply openings may be
placed to be close to the first sidewall of the ink cartridge body
on the bottom crossing the first and the second sidewall.
With respect to the ink cartridge, the contact terminal member may
be placed at a place corresponding to the partitioning walls close
to a sidewall positioned next to another ink cartridge when at
least two ink cartridges are installed in the printing
apparatus.
The ink cartridge may further include an inverse mounting
preventing rib for being engaged with the printing apparatus when
the ink cartridge is installed in a proper orientation on the
printing apparatus.
The ink cartridge may further include an inverse mounting
preventing rib, which is placed on a sidewall facing a crossing
sidewall, which crosses the bottom and the second sidewall, wherein
the contact terminal member is placed to be close to the crossing
sidewall, for being engaged with the printing apparatus when the
ink cartridge is installed in a proper orientation on the printing
apparatus.
With respect to the ink cartridge, a center of the contact terminal
member may be placed at a place from which a center axis of the ink
supply openings is away.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, a printing
apparatus includes a head-mounted unit on which a print head is
mounted and a carriage including a cartridge mounting section in
which an ink cartridge is installed, wherein a board including a
device for reading and writing information on ink of the ink
cartridge is placed in the cartridge mounting section.
Consequently, although the head-mounted unit is removed from the
apparatus body during maintenance work on the print head, the board
including the device for reading and writing information about ink
of the ink cartridge is protected because the board can remains in
the apparatus body.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a printing
apparatus includes a carriage in and from which an ink cartridge is
installed and uninstalled and a print head mounted on the carriage,
wherein a board including a device for reading and writing
information about ink of the ink cartridge is placed on an inside
of a front wall of the carriage. Consequently, the board including
the device for reading and writing information about ink of the ink
cartridge is protected because the board can be away from the print
head placed at the back of the carriage.
The summary of the invention does not necessarily describe all
necessary features of the present invention. The present invention
may also be a sub-combination of the features described above. The
above and other features and advantages of the present invention
will become more apparent from the following description of the
embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an overall external structure
of an ink-jet printer, one of the printing apparatus, with respect
to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an overall internal structure
of the ink-jet printer shown in FIG. 1 from which the upper housing
is removed.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of main units of the ink-jet
printer shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a side view of the carriage of the ink-jet printer shown
in FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a top view of the carriage shown in FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the carriage partly removed shown
in FIG. 4.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an ink cartridge, one of the
embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the bottom of the ink
cartridge.
FIG. 9A is a side view showing the second sidewall of the ink
cartridge, and FIG. 9B is a side view showing the third sidewall of
the ink cartridge.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an ink cartridge, another
embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the bottom of the ink
cartridge shown in FIG. 10.
FIG. 12 is a perspective exploded view of the ink cartridge shown
in FIG. 10.
FIG. 13A is a front elevational view showing the second sidewall of
the ink cartridge according to the embodiment of the present
invention, and FIG. 13B is a side elevational plan view showing the
fourth sidewall of the ink cartridge.
FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a carriage, in which two ink
cartridges are installed.
FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing the relation of the two ink
cartridges installed in the carriage.
FIG. 16A and FIG. 16B are partly cross-sectional views showing that
the ink cartridge is installed in the carriage.
FIG. 17A and FIG. 17B are another partly cross-sectional views
showing that the ink cartridge is installed in the carriage.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The invention will now be described based on the preferred
embodiments, which do not intend to limit the scope of the present
invention, but exemplify the invention. All of the features and the
combinations thereof described in the embodiments are not
necessarily essential to the invention.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an overall external structure
of an ink-jet printer, one of the printing apparatus, with respect
to an embodiment of the present invention. The ink-jet printer 100,
which is hexahedron-shaped and extends in the widthwise direction,
includes an upper housing and a lower housing. The upper housing
and the lower housing are combined with snap fits.
At the back of the upper housing 101, a paper feed entry 103 is
formed. In the paper feed entry 103, a paper feed tray 110 on which
papers fed are stacked up, and a paper feed guide 111, with which
the papers are in order, located at one end of the paper feed tray
110, are placed. The paper feed tray 110 is placed to tilt from the
paper feed guide 111 toward upper direction so that the paper feed
tray 110 keeps the papers sloping.
At the front of the upper housing 101, a paper discharge opening
104 is formed. In the paper discharge opening 104, a paper
discharge stacker 120, on which the papers ejected are piled up, is
placed. The paper discharge stacker 120 is placed to store the
papers on the back of the lower housing 102 from the paper
discharge opening 104 in use and provide papers sloping from the
paper discharge opening 104 out of use so that the papers are
received in the sloping state.
In addition, the paper discharge opening 104 includes a stacker
holding unit 121 for holding the paper discharge stacker 120 at the
opposite end to the paper ejection side along the widthwise
direction, when the paper discharge stacker 120 is pulled out.
Moreover, FIG. 1 shows the state that the paper discharge stacker
120 is in the internal side of the lower housing 102.
All over the surface of the upper housing 101, a window 105 is
formed. The window 105 is covered with a transparent or
semitransparent cover 106, which slightly curves, capable of being
opened and closed. With opening the cover 106, exchanging the ink
cartridge or maintenance work can be easily done. And, on the left
back of the upper housing 101, a power switch 131 and an operation
switch 132, each of which is a button type, are placed.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an overall internal structure
of the ink-jet printer 100 shown in FIG. 1, from which the upper
housing 101 is removed, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of
main units thereof. In the lower housing 102, a main board 130, of
which a printer controller is composed, shown in FIG. 2, is
vertically placed, and a printing mechanism 140, shown in FIG. 2, a
paper feed mechanism 150 and a paper feed mechanism 160, shown in
FIG. 3, of which a print engine is compose, is placed.
On the main board 130, control devices, memory devices or/and other
various circuit devices, such as CPU, ROM, RAM and ASIC etc., not
shown in drawings, are installed, and light emitting diodes 133,
134 with which a user can check if the power switch 131 or the
operation switch 132 is properly operated when the user pushes the
switches, are placed at the edge of the main board 130.
The printing mechanism 140 includes a carriage 141, a print head
142, a carriage motor 143, a timing belt 144, a suction pump 145
and a detection unit etc. On papers carried by a paper feed
mechanism 160, the print head 142, mounted on the carriage 141,
prints an image by scanning by the timing belt 144 driven by the
carriage motor 143. This print head 142 is supplied with ink by the
ink cartridge 146, installed in the carriage 141, and the colors of
the ink may be, for example, yellow, magenta, cyan and black.
The paper feed mechanism 150 includes a paper feed tray 110, a
paper feed guide 111, a paper feed roller 151, a hopper 152 and a
separation pad etc. Papers P piled up on the paper tray 110 and put
in order by the paper guide 111 are pressed to be on the separation
pad 153 by the raised hopper 152 according to rotation of the paper
feed roller 151, so that the paper P are fed into the paper feed
mechanism 160 a piece at a time from the top of the papers P.
The paper feed mechanism 160 includes a paper feed roller 161, a
driven roller 162, a paper discharge roller 163, a jagged roller
164, a paper feed motor 165 and a paper discharge stacker 120 etc.
The paper P fed by the paper feed mechanism 150 is inserted within
the paper feed roller 161 and the driven roller 162 driven by the
paper feed motor 165 and conveyed to the printing mechanism 140.
Next, the paper P is inserted within the paper discharge roller 163
and the jagged roller 164 driven by the paper feed motor 165, and
conveyed to the paper discharge stacker 120.
FIG. 4 to FIG. 6 are a side view, a top view and a perspective and
partly exploded view of the carriage 141, respectively. The
carriage 141 includes a body 141a and a cover 141b (FIGS. 4 and 5).
The print head 142 is mounted on the bottom of the body 141a of the
carriage 141 (FIGS. 4, 5), and the ink cartridge 146B containing
black ink and the ink cartridge 146C containing ink of various
colors, such as yellow, cyan and magenta etc., are installed in the
inside of the body 141a of the carriage 141 (FIG. 6).
And, carriage guide section 41 separated each other at a
predetermined distance, are wholly formed at both sides of the back
of the body 141a of the carriage 141 (FIGS. 4, 5). And, a guide
member 43 (FIG. 4) sliding with being enfolded by the carriage
guide section 41 is formed in a mainframe 107 (FIG. 4) placed to be
a vertical state and perpendicular to a direction of conveying the
paper. This guide member 43 is placed like the main frame 107 and
is bent so that the cross-section of the end of the guide member 43
is Z-shaped. Further, in a bent area of the guide member 43, a pair
of projection 41a, 41b holding a horizontal part 43a of the guide
member 43 and a pair of projection 41c, 41d holding a vertical part
43b of the guide member 43 are formed at the carriage guide section
41. In addition, a slide unit 42 is wholly formed at the mid-front
of the bottom of the body 141a of the carriage 141. The guide
section 44 (FIG. 4) on which the slide unit 42 slides is formed at
a paper ejection frame 108 placed to be a horizontal state and
perpendicular to a direction of conveying the paper.
As usual, the carriage 141 is made up to be divided into a
head-mounted unit 141A, on which the print head is mounted, and a
cartridge mounting section 141B, in which the ink cartridges 146B
and 146C are installed, in order to enhance a maintenance
efficiency of the print head 142. A circuit board 148 (FIG. 6)
including connectors 147b and 147c (FIG. 6) is set on the inside of
the wall of the front of the cartridge mounting section 141B.
The circuit board 148 is coupled to memories 149b and 149c (FIG. 6)
installed for storing information about a production date, a
product number, the quantity of ink remained etc. on the front of
the ink cartridges 146B and 146C, which includes a connector, with
the connector 147b and 147c. In addition, a board coupled to the
print head 142 is placed to be separated from the circuit board 148
on the inside wall of the back of the head-mounted unit 141A.
According to the above structure, the print head 142 is mounted on
the head-mounted unit 14 1A and the circuit board 148 is placed in
the cartridge mounting section 141B so that the circuit board 148
can be protected during maintenance work of the print head 142
because the circuit board 148 and the print head 142 are
separated.
Positioning ribs 146Ba and 146Ca for deciding the position when the
memories 149b and 149c including connectors and the connector 147b
and 147c of the circuit board 148 are coupled are formed on the
front of the ink cartridges 146B and 146C. That is, the positioning
ribs 146Ba and 146Ca decide the position of the memories 149b and
149c including connectors and the connector 147b and 147c of the
circuit board 148, when the ink cartridges 146B and 146C are
installed in the cartridge mounting section 141B of the carriage
141 by being engaged with grooves 141Ba and 141Bb placed on the
front of the cartridge mounting section 141B.
And, error mounting preventing ribs 146Bb and 146Cb are formed to
prevent the ink cartridge 146B and 146C from being installed in
other kinds of the carriage on the sides of the ink cartridge 146B
and 146C. That is, when the ink cartridges 146B and 146C are
installed in the cartridge mounting section 141B of the carriage
141, the error mounting is protected because the cover 141b is
closed properly if the error mounting preventing ribs 146Bb and
146Cb engaged with grooves 141Bc and 141Bd placed on the sides of
the cartridge mounting section 141B, but the ink cartridges 146B
and 146C cannot be installed properly in other kinds of the
carriage by collision.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an ink cartridge, one of the
embodiments of the present invention. And, FIG. 8 is a perspective
view showing the bottom of the ink cartridge shown in FIG. 7. The
ink cartridge 210 includes an ink cartridge body 220, an ink supply
section 240, a memory 260 and a positioning member 280.
The ink cartridge body 220 contains ink, for example black ink,
thereof. As one of the examples of the ink cartridge body 220, a
container, which is substantially rectangular in cross section, is
filled with a porous material holding ink. However, the present
invention is not limited to this embodiment, so for example, a
hollow container may directly contain ink and selectively supply
ink to a printing apparatus by an open and close means, such as a
valve and the like, in the ink supply section.
The ink supply section 240 has an ink supply opening 242, placed on
the bottom 222 of the ink cartridge body 220. The ink supply
opening 242 is placed to be close to the first wall 224 crossing
the bottom 222 of the ink cartridge body 220. Here, the bottom 222
of the ink cartridge body 220 is defined as the surface, on which
the ink supply section 240 is placed, and the bottom is not always
towards a lower position in use of the ink cartridge.
The memory 260 has a memory device storing information about ink,
such as the kind of ink cartridge, the kind of ink, the ink
cartridge contains, the color of ink and the current quantity of
ink etc. As an example of the memory 260, there is a contact type
IC chip. The contact type IC chip has a board, a contact terminal
member including contact terminals exposed on the surface of the
board and a memory device placed on the back of the board so that
the information data of the memory device is read or written as the
contact terminals and the exterior are in contact and are
electrically coupled.
According to the present embodiment, the memory 260 is a contact
type and has a contact terminal member 262 including seven contact
terminals exposed to the exterior. The contact terminal member 262
is placed on the second sidewall 226, which is opposite to the
first sidewall 224 and crosses the bottom 222 of the ink cartridge
body 220. Here, the number of the contact terminals of the contact
terminal member is not limited to seven. It may be a possible
construction that the contact terminal member 262 is placed alone
on the second sidewall 226, while the memory device of the memory
260 is placed on the suitable position of the ink cartridge body
220, such as other sidewall of the ink cartridge body 220 so that
the contact terminal member 262 and the memory of the memory is
electrically coupled by, for example, a flexible print circuit
(FPC). And, not limited to a contact type, the terminal member may
be none contact type, using magnetism or optics.
FIG. 9A is a side view showing the second sidewall 226 of the ink
cartridge 210 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9B is a side view showing the third sidewall 227 of the ink
cartridge 210. A positioning member 280 is placed for enabling the
ink cartridge 210 to be properly installed in the printing
apparatus on the second sidewall 226. The positioning member 280
has a positioning rib 282, which protrudes from the second sidewall
226 and is extended towards the bottom 222. As shown in FIG. 9A,
the positioning rib 282 is located out of the range of the width W1
of the contact terminal member 262. That is, the centerline (the
single-dotted and dashed line) of the positioning rib 282 is in the
outside of the width W1 (the distance between the dashed lines) of
the contact terminal member 262.
The ink cartridge 210 further includes a projecting part 290 more
closely placed to the top of the ink cartridge 210 than the contact
terminal member 262 of the memory 260 and the positioning rib 282
is. The projecting part 290 has a surface 292, which protrudes
above the positioning rib 282 and is nearly parallel to the second
sidewall 226. That is, referring to FIG. 9B, the position (the
broken line) of the surface 292 of the projecting part 290 is
beyond either the position (the dotted and dashed line) of the
positioning rib 282 or the position (the double-dotted and dashed
lines) of the contact terminal member 262. Consequently, in the
case of being handled the ink cartridge by a user, the projecting
part 290 is in contact with the exterior so that the contact
terminal member 262 and the positioning rib 282 can be protected
from an impact of the exterior. Especially, even though a user
drops the ink cartridge 210 onto the floor by mistake, the contact
terminal member 262 is safe because the contact terminal member 262
is not in contact with the floor.
As shown in FIG. 9A, the center of the contact terminal member 262,
that is, the lengthwise center axis of the middle one of the
contact terminals in the upper row, is placed at a different
position from the center axis (the double-dotted and dashed line)
of the ink supply opening 242. The contact terminal member 262 is
placed to be close to the third sidewall 227 crossing both the
second sidewall 226 and the bottom 222 on the second sidewall 226.
In addition, the ink cartridge 210 further includes an inverse
mounting preventing rib 229 placed on the fourth sidewall 228
opposite to the third sidewall 227.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an ink cartridge, another
embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 11 is a perspective
view showing the bottom of the ink cartridge shown in FIG. 10. The
ink cartridge 310 includes an ink cartridge body 320, an ink supply
section 340, a memory 360 and a positioning member 380.
FIG. 12 is a perspective and exploded view of the ink cartridge
310. The ink cartridge body 320 has partitioning walls 333 and 335
placed therein. In addition, the ink cartridge body 320 has a
plurality of ink chamber 332, 334 and 336, which are separated by
the partitioning walls 333 and 335 and contain different ink. As
shown in FIG. 12, the ink cartridge body 320 has 3 ink chambers,
the ink chamber 332 made up of an outside wall 331 and the
partitioning wall 333, the ink chamber 334 made up of the
partitioning wall 333 and the partitioning wall 335 and the ink
chamber 336 made up of the partitioning wall 335 and an outside
wall 337. For example, cyan ink is contained in the ink chamber
332, magenta ink is contained in the chamber 334 and yellow ink is
contained in the chamber 336. Moreover, the ink cartridge body 320
has a whole lid 339 nearly parallel to the bottom 322. In addition,
FIG. 12 is a perspective view to describe the partitioning walls
and the ink chambers, and other components such as a substance,
which has lots of holes, keeping ink etc., are omitted.
The ink supply section 340 has ink supply openings 342, 344 and 346
placed to be close to the first sidewall 324 crossing the bottom
322 of the ink cartridge body 320 on the bottom 322 of the ink
cartridge body 320 corresponding to the a plurality of the ink
chamber 332, 334 and 336.
The memory 360 has a contact terminal member 362. The contact
terminal member 362 is placed on the second sidewall 326 opposite
to the first sidewall 324 crossing the bottom 322 of the ink
cartridge body 320 and located at the position corresponding to the
partitioning wall 333. The memory 360 has the same composition and
function as the memory 260 of the ink cartridge 210 does so the
description of them is omitted.
FIG. 13A is a front elevational view showing the second sidewall
326 of the ink cartridge 310 according to the embodiment of the
present invention. FIG. 13B is a front elevational view showing the
fourth sidewall 328 of the ink cartridge 310.
As shown in FIG. 13A, the center of the contact terminal member 362
is placed at the position different from the center axis (the
double-dotted and dashed line) of the ink supply openings. The
contact terminal member 362 is placed to be close to the third
sidewall 327 crossing the bottom 322 and the second sidewall 326 on
the second sidewall 326. The contact terminal member 362, as
described above, is placed at the position corresponding to the
partitioning wall 333 near the third sidewall 327. The centerline
(the dotted and dashed line) of the position corresponding to the
partitioning wall 333 is located within the range of the width W2
(the distance between the 2 broken line) of the contact terminal
member 362 of the memory 360. In addition, in the ink cartridge 310
according to the embodiment of the present invention, the
centerline of the contact terminal member 362 is at the nearly same
position as the centerline corresponding to the partitioning wall
333.
The ink cartridge 310, like the ink cartridge 210, has a
positioning rib 382, which protrudes from the second sidewall 326
and is extended towards the bottom 322. The positioning rib 382 is
located out of the range of the width W2 of the contact terminal
member 362. That is, the centerline (the dashed and dotted line) of
the positioning rib 382 is in the outside of the width W2 of the
contact terminal member 362.
The ink cartridge 310, like the ink cartridge 210, further includes
a projecting part 390 more closely placed to the top of the ink
cartridge 310 than the contact terminal member 362 of the memory
360 and the positioning rib 382 is. The projecting part 390 has a
surface 392, which protrudes above the positioning rib 382 and is
nearly parallel to the second sidewall 326. That is, referring to
FIG. 13B, the position (the broken line) of the surface 392 of the
projecting part 390 is beyond either the position (the dotted and
dashed line) of the positioning rib 382 or the position (the
double-dotted and dashed line) of the contact terminal member
362.
The ink cartridge 310 further includes an inverse mounting
preventing rib 329 placed on the fourth sidewall 328 opposite to
the third sidewall 327 near the contact terminal member 362.
FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a carriage, in which two ink
cartridges are installed. The carriage 400 has the first cartridge
holding section 410, in which the ink cartridge 210 containing
black ink is installed and the second cartridge holding section
450, in which the ink cartridge 310 containing cyan, magenta and
yellow ink is installed.
A contact terminal member 420 is placed at the position, which is
in the first cartridge holding section 410 and corresponds to the
contact terminal member 262 of the memory 260, when the ink
cartridge 210 is installed in the first cartridge holding section
410. In addition, the first cartridge holding section 410 has a
position decision groove 430, which is placed at the same sidewall
as the contact terminal member 420 is on, is away from the second
cartridge holding section 450 more than the contact terminal member
420 is and is engaged with the positioning rib 282 of the ink
cartridge 210. Moreover, the first cartridge holding section 410
has a gap 440, which is placed at the sidewall opposite to the
second cartridge holding section 450 and is engaged with the
inverse mounting preventing rib 282 of the ink cartridge 210.
Though not shown in FIG. 14, an ink supply needle 412 is placed at
the position, which is on the bottom of the first cartridge holding
section 410 and corresponds to the ink supply section 240 of the
ink cartridge. The ink supply needle 412 is hollow, and an end
surface of the ink supply needle 412 is placed in the inside of the
bottom of the carriage 400.
Like the first cartridge holding section 410, a contact terminal
member 460 is placed at the position, which is in the second
cartridge holding section 450 and corresponds to the contact
terminal member 362 of the memory 360 when the ink cartridge 310 is
installed in the secoud cartridge holding section 450. In addition,
the second cartridge holding section 450 has an ink cartridge
position regulating groove 470, which is placed at the same
sidewall as the contact terminal member 460 is on, is away from the
first cartridge holding section 410 more than the contact terminal
member 460 is and is engaged with the positioning rib 382 of the
ink cartridge 310. Moreover, the second cartridge holding section
450 has a gap 480, which is placed at the sidewall opposite to the
first cartridge holding section 410 and is engaged with the inverse
mounting preventing rib 382 of the ink cartridge 310. An ink supply
needle 452, like the first cartridge holding section 410, is placed
at the position, which is on the bottom of the second cartridge
holding section 450 and corresponds to the ink supply section 340
of the ink cartridge. The construction of the ink supply needle 452
is similar to the that of the ink supply needle 412 of the first
cartridge holding section 410, but since there are three ink supply
openings 342, 344 and 346 of the ink cartridge 310, the ink supply
needle 452 has three ink supply needles 452.
FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing the relation of the two ink
cartridges installed in the carriage. As shown in FIG. 15, the ink
cartridge 210 and the ink cartridge 310 are side-by-side installed
in the carriage 400. In that case, the third sidewall 227 of the
ink cartridge 210 and the third sidewall 327 of the ink cartridge
310 face each other.
As described above, the contact terminal member 262 of the ink
cartridge 210 is placed to be close to the third sidewall 227,
while the contact terminal member 362 of the ink cartridge 310 is
placed to be close to the third sidewall 327. That is, the contact
terminal member 262 of the ink cartridge 210 and the contact
terminal member 362 of the ink cartridge 310 is positioned next to
each other, while the 2 ink cartridge 210 and 310 are installed in
the carriage 400. Accordingly, like the carriage 400 shown in FIG.
14, the contact terminal member 420 of the first cartridge holding
section 410 and the contact terminal member 460 of the second
cartridge holding section 450 can be closely placed each other so
that wires of, for example, FPC do not need to be long.
In addition, as described above, the inverse mounting preventing
rib 229 of the ink cartridge 210 is placed on the fourth sidewall
228 opposite to the third sidewall 227, while the inverse mounting
preventing rib 329 of the ink cartridge 310 is placed on the fourth
sidewall 328 opposite to the third sidewall 327. That is, the
inverse mounting preventing rib 229 of the ink cartridge 210 and
the inverse mounting preventing rib 329 of the ink cartridge 310 is
not located facing each other. Consequently, the third sidewall 227
and the third sidewall 327 can be closely positioned so that the
size of the whole carriage 400 can be small.
FIG. 16A and FIG. 16B are partly cross-sectional views showing that
the ink cartridge 310 is installed in the carriage 400. FIG. 16A
and FIG. 16B are cross-sectional views of the second cartridge
holding section 450 of the carriage 400 with respect to a plane
including the position regulating groove 470. Although it is
described that the ink cartridge 310 is installed in the second
cartridge holding section 450 of the carriage 400 as an example
here, it is the same case that the ink cartridge 210 is installed
in the first cartridge holding section 410 of the carriage 400.
As shown in FIG. 16A, the ink cartridge 310 is positioned in normal
direction to the second cartridge holding section 450 of the
carriage 400. Here, the normal direction means that the ink supply
section 340 of the ink cartridge 310 faces the ink supply needle
452 of the second cartridge holding section 450 and the contact
terminal member 362 of the ink cartridge 310 faces the contact
terminal member 460 of the second cartridge holding section 450.
The ink cartridge positioned in the normal direction is inserted
into the second cartridge holding section 450 of the carriage
400.
As shown in FIG. 16B, the ink cartridge 310 being inserted, the
positioning rib 382 is guided by the ink cartridge position
regulating groove 470 of the second cartridge holding section 450.
The inverse mounting preventing rib 329 is engaged with the gap 480
of the second cartridge holding section 450.
As the ink cartridge 310 is further inserted, the ink supply needle
452 of the second cartridge holding section 450 enters the inside
of the ink supply section 340 of the ink cartridge 310. As the
bottom of the ink supply section 340 of the ink cartridge 310 comes
in contact with the end surface of the ink supply needle 452 of the
second cartridge holding section 450, the installation of the ink
cartridge 310 is over. Accordingly, the ink cartridge 310 supplies
the printing apparatus with ink through the ink supply needle.
FIG. 17A and FIG. 17B are another partly cross-sectional views
showing that the ink cartridge 310 is installed in the carriage
400. FIG. 17A and FIG. 17B are cross-sectional views of the second
cartridge holding section 450 of the carriage 400 with respect to a
plane not including the position regulating groove 470.
FIG. 17A, which corresponds to FIG. 16A, shows that ink cartridge
310 is positioned in the normal direction to the second cartridge
holding section 450 of the carriage 400. FIG. 17B, which
corresponds to FIG. 16B, shows a state of the ink cartridge 310
being installed in the second cartridge holding section 450 of the
carriage 400.
As shown in FIG. 17B, when the bottom of the ink supply section 340
of the ink cartridge 310 comes in contact with the ink supply
needle 452 of the second cartridge holding section, the lower
surface of the projection part 390 of the ink cartridge 310 comes
in contact with a surface 472 of the second cartridge holding
section 450.
The position of the ink cartridge 310 is decided not only by the
penetration of the ink supply needle 452 into the ink supply
section 340, but also by the engagement of the positioning rib 382
and the ink cartridge position regulating groove 470. Accordingly,
the contact terminal member 362 of the ink cartridge 310 is coupled
to the contact terminal member 460 of the second cartridge holding
section 450 with a degree of precision, even if the contact
terminal member 362 of the ink cartridge 310 is positioned far away
from the ink supply section 340, because the ink cartridge 310 is
positioned in the direction to the same second sidewall 326 by the
positioning rib 382. Consequently, the information obtained by the
coupling of the contact terminal member 460 and the contact
terminal member 362 of the ink cartridge 310 can be certainly
transmitted to the printing apparatus through wires 462 of, for
example, FPC.
It is possible to prevent the positioning rib 382 from damaging the
contact terminal member 460 of the second cartridge holding section
450, when the ink cartridge 310 is installed in the second
cartridge holding section 450, because the positioning rib 382 of
the ink cartridge 310 is located in the outside of the width W2 of
the contact terminal member 460.
Here, when the ink cartridge 210 is already installed, the ink
cartridge 310 is positioned in the inverse direction. That is, it
means that the ink cartridge is positioned as the first sidewall
324 faces the contact terminal member 460 of the second cartridge
holding section 450 or the second sidewall 326 faces the ink supply
needle 452. If the ink cartridge 310 is mounted in the second
cartridge holding section 450 in this condition, the inverse
mounting preventing rib 329 of the ink cartridge 310 will be
blocked by the ink cartridge 210. Accordingly, the ink cartridge
310 will not be inserted any more. Consequently, the ink cartridge
310 is prevented from being installed in the second cartridge
holding section 450 in the inverse direction.
According to the above embodiments of the present invention, the
contact terminal member can be certainly coupled to the contact
terminal member of the carriage, though the contact terminal member
is placed far away from the ink supply section, because the ink
cartridge is positioned in the direction to the same second
sidewall by the positioning rib. Accordingly, the degree of freedom
of the space where the contact terminal member of the ink cartridge
is placed can be increased.
In addition, in the case that the contact terminal member is placed
at the position corresponding to the partitioning wall of the ink
cartridge, it is hard for the ink cartridge body to be transformed
by the fabrication or the decrease of pressure in manufacturing the
ink cartridge, and the contact terminal member can be further
certainly coupled to the contact terminal member of the
carriage.
Although the present invention has been described by way of
exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that those skilled
in the art might make many changes and substitutions without
departing from the spirit and the scope of the present invention,
which is defined only by the appended claims.
For example, though an inkjet printer as a printing apparatus has
been described by way of exemplary embodiments, the present
invention can also be applied to such a facsimile apparatus or
copying apparatus of ink-jet type, if these printing apparatuses
include a carriage.
* * * * *